Avoiding fatigue - the top ten golden rules

On average, Britons spend 13 hours a week on the road as part of their jobs.

Here are Zurich Insurance's top ten rules to help avoid fatigue.

  1. Get a good night's sleep before a long journey.
  2. Avoid working a long day and driving a long distance afterwards. - Look at utilising phone or video conferences for some meetings.
  3. Ensure that you attain the correct seating position - poorly positioned seats give rise to the earlier onset of fatigue.
  4. Take regular breaks - every two hours as a minimum and more regularly if you begin to feel tired.
  5. Avoid driving from midnight to 6am, and from 2pm to 4pm, this is the time when the body is most likely to natrurally want to sleep.
  6. Avoid driving at night and in adverse weather conditions - it is more tiring than driving in good daylight conditions.
  7. Keep your windscreen clean, especially in reduced visibility conditions - looking through dirty glass will give rise to the earlier onset of fatigue.
  8. There is no substitute for sleep - fresh air and loud music will not keep you awake. Stop in a safe place and have a short nap.
  9. Have your eyes tested regularly - poor eyesight will lead to the earlier onset of fatigue.
  10. Set a realistic schedule and plan routes effectively. Allow for breaks and travelling conditions.